Railway danger-signal



(No Model.)

J. W. STEELE. RAILWAY DANGER SIGNAL.

Patented Dec. 30, 18.90.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

JAMES lV. STEELE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY DANG ER-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 443,730, dated December 30, 1890.

Application led June 3, 1890. Serial No. 354,153. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. STEELE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Danger-Signals, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters of reference in the different figures indicate corresponding parts. l v

The object of my invention is to so construct a railway danger-signal that in the event of the displacement or destruction of a bridge or a portion of the railway-track or in the event of danger from any other cause a semaphore may automatically or otherwise be displayed across the track, and in case it is not seen orheeded by the engineer the passage of the train may, by being brought into contact with said semaphore, so actuate the latter as to explode a torpedo preferably placed andsecured within the casing of the frame to which said semaphore is attached. Said semaphore, if not displayed automatically, as preferred, may be actuated by the movement of a lever or other mechanism operated by the track-walker or other person. I accomplish said object in the manner hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of a semaphore in conjunction with a railwaytrack, the case inclosing the operative mechanism being shown in vertical section and the parts in normal positions,respectively. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the parts in abnormal positions. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the manner in which the semaphore is acted upon by a passing train, and Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a modification of said invention.

Referring to said drawings, a represents a hollow standard or case rigidly secured in position in proximity to a railway-track b. A shaft or trunnion c is secured in bearings at or near the top of the standard, and an arm d is rigidly attached to the projecting portion of said shaft. To the end of the arm d is attached, by means of a hinged joint c, a flexible extension f, which is preferably formed from one or more plates of sheet metal, such as spring-steel, and of suicient length to project, when in a horizontal position, over all or a portion of the adjacent railway-track, as shown in Fig. 2, so as not only to be displayed directly in front of an approaching train, but to be brought in contact with and yield to the passage of the latter, as and for the purposes hereinafter stated. A short arm or bracket f', Fig. 3, is attached to the part f at or near the joint, and its outer end connected by means 0f a spring g to a stud upon the arm el, thereby serving to normally retain the part f in line with the part d.

Arranged within the case and rigidly attached to the shaft c is a crank-arm h,which is connected with a rigid bearing point or stud j by means of a knee-joint mechanism consisting of the parts Z m, so arranged and adjusted that when the arm d is in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. l, the knee-joint is straight, which enables the arm CZ to be held rigidly until actuated by the movement of said knee-joint. The member Z,pivoted at Z Z to the links 7c m, is bent, as shown, and extended downwardly to near the bottom of the case, where it passes through a loop fm', attached to the latter, which serves to limit its movement. An elbow-lever'n, pivoted to the case as shown, has one arm arranged to engage with a pin Z2, while to the other. is attached a rod o, leading to a bridge, railway-track, or other point to be guarded, where a connec tion may be made in any well-know Way, s0 that upon the burning or carrying away of the bridge or the displacement of the track a signal may be automatically given to an approaching train, as hereinafter set forth. It is obvious that the rod o may be actuated by means of a hand-lever, if desired. A spring 7,5 is attached to the llink k, having its free end arranged to bear against a pin, so as to aid in straightening the knee-joint when the end of the bar Z is pushed back, as shown in Fig. l.

Pivoted at p within the case is a strikinglever or trip-hammer p', the free end of which is adapted to engage with a nipple q, upon which may be placed the usual dynamite torpedo q', Fig. 1,such as is ordinarily placed as a danger-signal upon railway-tracks. To the opposite end of the lever p is attached a coiled spring fr, one end of which is attached IOO to a stationary jiiointmsuch, for example, as the studj.' The free end of thehammer p is connected by means of a rod s to the arm t of a bent lever` which is journaled in the casing, as shown, the opposite end t being arranged outside ot' the casing and parallel to the arm d. A flange 'u is rigidly attached to the part f below and near to the joint c, which is adapted to engage with the arm t and move the latter in unison with the arm d when the latter is brought to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2. Upon the passage of a train andthe consequent bending of the arm f, as shown in Fig. the flange '1t is withdrawn, thereby releasing the armt and permitting the spring to act upon the triphammer and cause its descent from the position shown in Fig. It is obvious that said bent lever, which actuates the trip-hammer, may be pivoted upon the shaft c, being secured loosely upon said shaft in the form of a sleeve. Y

The operation of my improved danger-signal is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the respective positions shown in Fig. l, the destruction of a bridge and the consequent pull of the rod o serves to bend the links of the knee-joint, rotate the shaft c, and bring the arm j" to a horizontal position across the track, as shown in Fig. 2. This act serves simultaneously to raise the trip-han'imer `p. It the signal thus placed is not seen by the engineer of an approaching train, the passage of: the train detlects the arm f, which, being flexible, readily bends and scrapes the side of the train with noise suiicient in itself to alarm the train-men. Simultaneously with the bending of the arm f the arm t is released and the torpedo exploded by the falling ol the trip-hammer.

lhus it will be seen lhat my improved device may serve as a triple danger-signal, first, in the display of an obstruction across the track; second, inthe noise and clatter caused by the contact of the arm fwith the passing train, and, third, in the explosion of the torpedo. A further advantage is that the torpedo may be iuclosed and secured within the case a, where it is free from molestation by unauthorized persons.

The spring r, being connected with the arm il through the trip-hannner and its immediate connections, serves to cushion the fall of .aid arm and its extension j", which is an important feature.

It is obvious that the specific means dcscribed for operating the semaphore need not be employed, as any well-known means may be used to accomplish this result, so long as a yielding semaphore-arm is utilized to release a trip-hammer or equivalent device for exploding a cartridge upon the movement ot said arm by contact with a passing train. The rod 0 maybe made to trip the semaphore-arm directly and permit it to fall without the intervention of the knee-joint mochanism, such tripping mechanism being employed, for example, as that shown in Letters 'Patent granted to me on August ll, lSSS, No. 2387,7-l8, or April 23, 185i), Xo. 401,709; but I prefer the construction substantially as shown.

In Fig. fl l have shown a modified construction illustrating the manner in which the semaphore may be actuated by electrical means. A spring l, normally under tension, is attached to the bar said bar being held normally in position by means of a horizontal bar c, in which is formed a notch 1;,which engages the end of the bar Z. The free end ofthe bar r is supported by means of a pivotcd trigger ar, to which a spring as is attached. lhc trigger .fr is provided with an armature r2 in operative proximity to a magnet u'. The electrical connections with the magnet may be such as that upon the movement of a bridge the electric circuit may be closed, thereby tripping the bar fu and releasing the bar I.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- l. The combination, in a railway dangersignal, ol a pivoted semaphore arranged to fall across a railway-track, means, substantially as specified, for actuating said semaphore upon the displacement or destruction of a bridge or track to be guarded thereby,a trip-hammer and torpedo, means for raising said hammer upon the lfalling of the semaphore-arm, and a releasing-trigger to be actuated by the bending of the semaphore-arm upon the passage of a train, substantially as shown and described.

The combination, with a railway-track, of a semaphore-arm pivoted upon a horizontal axis adjacent to the track, an extension attached thereto by means of a hinged joint, a spring at said joint for normally maintaining said extension in a straight line with the main arm, a crank upon said axis and attached to knee-joint mechanism in operative connection with a bridge or other structure to be guarded, a trip-hammer and torpedo, a lever in operative connection with the semaphore-arm for raising said hammer upon the falling of said arm, and a trigger arranged at or near the joint o1' said semaphore-arm and in operative connection with said lever, whereby the bending of said arm at the joint may release said lever and permit the 11ammer to fall and explode the cartridge, substantially as shown and described.

The combination, with a railway-track, of a semaphore arranged to fall across the track, means 'for causing it to so fall, a torpedo, a trip-hammer in operative connection with the semaphore-arm, and means for releasing said hammer upon contact with the semaphore-arm of a passing train, substantially as set forth.

i. rlhe combina-tion, with a railway-track, of the arm d, mounted as described, means for throwing the same into an abnormal position, an arm j', jointed to the arm d and norl'OO IIO

mally in line therewith, a torpedo and triphammer, a lever in operative Connection with the hammer, and the flange or trigger u, adj usted to engage with said lever when the 5 arm d is in an abnormal position and to release said lever upon the bending of the arm f at the joint e, substantially as specified.

V5. The Combination, with a jointed semaphore-arm adjusted to engage a passing train, 1o of a torpedo, and a trip-hammer operatively connected to said semaphore-arm, and means for releasing said trip-hammer upon the bending of said joint, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the arms (l f and r 5 fiange or trigger n, of a pivoted lever arranged to normally engage said trigger, a trip-hammer in operative connection with said lever, and spring r, connecting said trigger with the ease, whereby the falling of the arm f may be cushioned by said springmhich 2o serves to aetuate the hammer when released, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 23d day of May, 1890.

JAMES W. STEELE. Vitnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER, DAVID STEVENS. 

